October 17, 2018 – CDC Dementia Data

Anchor lead: The CDC has projected a doubling of dementia rates by 2060, Elizabeth Tracey reports

The number of people expected to develop dementia by 2060 will double from where it is today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated. Constantine Lyketsos, an Alzheimer’s disease expert at Johns Hopkins, says the price tag for dementia is already staggering.

Lyketsos: Depending on who you talk to I think we’re already now at about $150 billion to $200 billion per year. Its not just the numbers of people that are affected but it’s the broader societal impact. Folks with dementia live a long time, they become increasingly disabled, they have a lot of care needs and over the lifetime of their illness each person has two to three caregivers. These individuals have to be addressed as well because the cost of caregiving and the impact of caregiving on their health, their mental health, is substantial. :29

Lyketsos says that while treatments to stave off or cure the condition don’t yet exist, there are many strategies to help manage symptoms as they develop and help people with dementia remain at home longer, as well as assist caregivers. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.